hosiery
UK[ˈhəʊziəri]US[ˈhoʊʒəri]
n
Stockings, socks, and tights collectively.
Morpheme Breakdown
hosier
y
hosier
maker/seller of hose
y
noun suffix
Etymology
The word 'hosiery' has a direct lineage from the Old English word 'hosa', which referred to a leg covering or stocking. This term evolved through Middle English to produce 'hose' for such garments and 'hosier' for the tradesperson who made or sold them. The addition of the productive noun suffix '-y', indicating goods or the business related to the root, transformed 'hosier' into the collective term 'hosiery'. Thus, the modern abstract meaning of manufactured legwear collectively stems logically from the original concrete term for a leg covering and the profession associated with it.
Analysis
Structure: hosier (maker/seller of hose) + y (noun suffix)
hosier (from Middle English, denoting a maker or seller of hose, from Old English 'hosa' meaning covering for the leg); y (a noun-forming suffix of Middle English origin, used to denote a state, condition, business, or goods related to the base word).
Examples
The department store has a wide selection of hosiery on the third floor.
She works for a major manufacturer of fine hosiery.
Modern hosiery is often made from synthetic materials like nylon.